Metal Gear Liquid: PreShadow Moses
by TheWatcherWriter
Summary: The events of Liquid Snake's life Pre-Shadow Moses. Reveals some interesting plot devices I liked thinking up and writing.
1. Chapter 1

I peeked my head out from behind the rock, observing my surroundings. Good. Nobody here.

Cold sweat crept down my neck and I breathed heavily, supporting the wounded soldier by putting his arm over my shoulder. He couged out blood. I knew he would be only a memory if I didn't get him back to base.

Taking one last look around I shoved a magazine into my gun, shifted the weight of my comrade in order to walk and readied my self for the base I could see a good distance away.

Go.

I jumped out from behind the rock, half supporting, half dragging the fellow soldier. "Why am I doing this?" I thought. He abandoned me earlier which is why he got into this mess... I shook my head to rid myself of the thoughts. No. If I don't save him the thought will haunt me forever... I can't leave this man. I can't become like.... him.

A shudder ran down my spine as I thought of my father. I ignored this and continued dragging the wounded man to the tent.

Suddenly, a gunshot went off, I dived for cover throwing the man down beside me into the dried out shrubs. I readied my gun and looked round, trying to see who had fired the shot. Then, he was there. I could see the man, quite a young fellow, a few years younger than me possibly...

I put away my M14 and took out the desert eagle from my hip holster.

I took my gun up and aimed at the enemy, right between his eyes. I could see the worry in his face, almost smell his fear.

I fired.

I looked into my friend's face.

"You able to walk?" I asked. He coughed and his lips were once again covered with a new layer of blood to replace the sand that had blown into his face.

"A--Aye..." He said in a broad Scottish accent. I nodded and looked round once again.

"You're... You're a brave man Jonathan..." He whispered. "I could never get the courage to do the same."

"Don't talk" I spoke coldly, "Save the energy for moving."

He nodded and moved onto his legs.

Jonathan. The name I had adopted. I couldn't remember if it really was my own name anymore... I had gathered so many over the years.

I searched the landscape for movement.

"Was that?" I thought I saw a glint. I looked again. Sure enough, after a few seconds the glint reappeared. We had the sun behind us, a tactic I had made sure to deploy previously when we first made the advance on the enemy hours ago.

The man beside me hadn't seen it yet. He was growing tired, I could see it in his eyes... that glazed look. I didn't expect him to notice, this is the time a soldier can make mistakes. I searched for my binoculars.

Shit. I'd misplaced them.

"Can you give me those?" Pointing to the man's binoculars I looked into his eyes.

"Sure" His lips seemed to struggle to form words. I needed to hurry.

He handed me binoculars and in return, I gave him my water bottle.

"Thanks" The water was gulped down hungrily.

I gazed through the binoculars, sure enough, there were some soldiers, only these were allies. From my own unit. Normally I would have been overjoyed at this prospect, but I knew the fucking shit-heads were the ones that left me for dead as they ran to save themselves only 3 hours ago.

I handed the man back his binoculars.

"I'm going to go ahead and meet those guys, you stay here. You'll just slow me down." A nod showed he understood. I got on my stomach and began crawling over to my comrades over scorching hot sand.

"I hope they look before they shoot at moving targets..." I thought.

Finally, one of them saw me, he spoke to the others then waved his hand at me.

He's going to get spotted; waving his hand round like that. I tapped my head and pointed at him to show I saw him too.

Eventually, I reached them. They had a jeep hidden under a sheet stolen from the enemy.

"John?" One of them said, "We thought you were dead!" He looked surprised and happy.

I clenched my fists, knowing he was lying. He didn't think I was dead before he abandoned me miles away.

However, anger had to wait.

"Liam's injured, he's back there." I pointed to the shrubs. "Can we drive out? He can't walk fast..."

The men looked at each other. I didn't read minds but I could tell thoughts of betrayal were running through each of their heads. I sighed.

"You." I pointed. "You come with me. And you" I pointed at another man, hair black and shaggy looking. "You act as look out, if anyone shoots... shoot back... make sure they don't shoot again." He gulped and nodded violently.

I removed the sheet from the car and got into driver's seat, laying my M14 on seat beside me. Mark, the man I had told to come with me, sat behind and took out his gun, fumbling with the supporting strap.

"Wish me luck." I started the car and drove round waiting for Shaggy to give the all clear. He gave me the signal. I drove out, managing to keep vehicle under control despite the difficult terrain below the wheels.

We arrived at Liam, he looked at me through semi-closed eye lids. He smiled, I didn't return it.

"Get him in" I said to Mark. Mark jumped out and helped Liam into the back, laying him down out of harm's way. I turned car round quickly and began the short journey back.

Fffftang! A bullet hit off the Jeep's bonnet.

"Shiiit..." I lifted the M14 just in case but remained driving. I looked round for Shaggy. He was either hidden extremely well or he'd done a runner. A shot rang out. Good. He was still here then. I increased the speed of the vehicle, willing it to get over the last dune...

Finally, we made it. I moved the M14 and signalled for the rest of the team to get into the car. They got in and we made it back to base.

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"Jonathan, you saved me the other day." Liam spoke. I jerked upright at the sound of the man's voice, it dawned on me I'd fallen asleep by his bedside.

"John, I-I wouldnae have been able tae save you... I'm too weak. But you. You are different. You are a hero, John... a brave soldier. If there ever comes a chance... I'll save you." He looked down at me in admiration. I yawned and rubbed my eyes.

"Just glad to see you are okay." I muttered, got up and left the medical tent.

I returned to my sleeping area and crawled into my sleeping sack.

That was the day I gained the codename - Snake - from my comrades.


	2. Chapter 2

Today, they said, I would provide Aerial Support.

I circled again over the stretch of land, flying out from the sun in order to remain hidden. I hovered for a bit watching the men below cross over into the enemy lines, I waited for the moment that would come when they needed me. I sighed then looked out across the landscape. Who'd have thought this area used to be forest. Man has shaped the world around him. For better, I don't know... for worse? Nobody knows that for certain. I looked down at the men once more, they were handling fine; the enemy were nowhere near their general direction. I could see them hiding in the shrubs quite far off. However, there were strict orders from above not to reveal my position till the last moment. I increased my height, therefore increasing the viewing range. I waited. Surely I should have had a call by now... I took out my radio and dialled the appropriote frequency...

No response, the radio seemed to be busted.

Annoyed I hadn't realised this sooner I tried the copter's own built in radio. Strange. That was broken too... I looked up out the window. What the....?

4 Helicopters were approaching my rear at an incredible speed.

"How'd.....?!"

I swung the aircraft round and targeted the closest of the helicopters, I pushed the trigger and watched the pieces of aircraft fall to the ground. I then targeted another and pushed the trigger, whilst increasing my altitude as fast as possible. I breathed heavily and tried to remain calm.

"Come on you wanker..." I muttered under my breath as I fired a few missles at the second last helicopter. Somehow, he dodged the missles.

"Fucking hell!" He was a good pilot, only I had managed to do that before when I was training in the Air Force. I fired another missle, this one hit, only I was hit too on the tail. The helicopter began to spin round slowly. I grabbed controls and managed to regain proper control. The remaining helicopter had reached me by this point and fired at me full throttle, bullets ripping the sides of the copter. I began to lose control, I fired missles in succession at the remaining copter managing at last to destroy it.

The altitude was falling rapidly, alarms started going off.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" I pulled back controls. "Come on damn you! Fly!"

The helicopter plummented, I gave one last heave of controls which caused the copter to slow it's descent. Slow, not stop.

I crashed into the ground, left side of the copter first. I threw my arms over my face as a natural instinct, shards of glass pierced into my skin, ripping the skin on my left arm to shreds. The helicopter rolled over and my other arm was caught in something and dislocated immediatly with a grimacing "Shloock" sound. I cried out in pain and my head was thrown violently against the back of my seat over and over. My legs were crushed under metal as the helicopter bent under impact.

Finally, the movement stopped as the helicopter came to a stop. I opened my eyes and immediatly had to blink out the blood pouring from a gash across my head. I unstrapped myself from seat, pulled out my leg from under squashed control panel and crawled out of the wreckage. I opened my eyes again and looked around. I was in enemy territory now. I threw up the contents of my stomach. I opened my eyes once more and gazed across the sand.

Then, I saw him.

Liam!

I was overjoyed. I opened my lips but all that came out was a pathetic hissing noise. He saw me. His face was white and his mouth was wide open. He started towards me. I attempted to smile but my face was in too much pain so I just closed my eyes again. I waited. And waited. He never arrived, I opened my eyes and saw, to my utter shock, the enemy coming closer. I looked round towards were Liam had been, he had gone. I turned over and looked again and saw his retreating figure running across the sand.

It was not until some time later, when the enemy arrived, that I realised I had been screaming his name at the top of my voice. The enemy came, looked down at me and sneered. I summonded up the last bit of wet in my mouth and spat at them.

Then I blacked out.


	3. Chapter 3

Light flashed through my eyelids. I twitched and clenched them shut. After some time I remembered the crash and jolted up from my lying down position. Blood rushed to my head and I felt faint as the wound on my forehead pulsed painfully. My arm was in bandages and the other was in a sling. I flopped back down onto the pillow and closed my eyes, mouth opened to release a large moan of pain. I breathed heavily, trying to concentrate on something other than the pounding of blood in my head.

"You're a strong man." A voice interrupted my concentration, I turned my head to the source of the noise.

"A very strong man.... not many people can crawl out a crash like that with such injuries." I forced open my eyelids and blinked. After my vision had adjusted to the dim light, I saw who was speaking. He had black hair and a stubble, his eyes were blue and he had a large scar down the right side of his cheek. He was older than me, probably my senior by 5 years or so. He spoke to me quietly with a gruff voice, accent's origins was varied so I couldn't recognise it.

"I saw you flying, you are quite talented... not many people can take down 4 helicopters during a surprise attack... especially if their equipment has been sabotaged..." He put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it, then he offered me one. I didn't take it.

"What did you say? Sabotage? Who are you? Why do you know this?" He chuckled hoarsely.

"Me? I'm nobody. But you. I know who you are." A tingle ran down my spine. He couldn't possibly know...

"I know who you are," He repeated, the lowered his voice to a low whisper and leaned towards me. "Son of Big Boss."

"What?" I began to fake confusion. "Big Boss? That Legendary Soldier?" He smirked. "Don't play dumb with me... I know you are a copy of him... you look little like him however... but the resemblance is enough." I looked around the room. It was crowded, rows of beds lay side by side and all seem occupied, but none of the patients seemed to be awake. The two armed guards at the door hadn't notice our hushed talking. I turned back to the man.

"How do you know all this?" He looked at me blankly and sucked on his cigarette. "I know this, because I know someone you are aquatinted with..." He blew the smoke out over my face. "Big Boss." At this point, one of the guards noticed the smoke and shouted at the man next to me in Arabic; a language I was fluent in, along with many others; to put out the cigarette. The second guard noticed I was awake and spoke to the first quietly. He paused then took out a radio and spoke to someone. I turned and looked at the man next to me. He looked at me. "Bye," he said. "They like to clear beds for those who are more severely wounded." I looked at him in a questioning sort of way. He got my point and moved the bed sheets to display a badly shot-up leg. I winced and nodded.

A few other guards entered the room and started to come towards my bed, I swung my legs out from under the bed sheets and placed my feet on the floor, then I struggled to stand. I got a mixed response from the guards; one looked at me making no attempt to hide his impressment, another simply scowled and the third put a gun to my head and pushed me forwards, forcing me to walk. I complied, not wishing to get my brains blown out, by limping towards my new destination.

They led me out the medical area; outside, across the hot sand to a new tent, relatively large in size and dark inside and pushed me inside roughly, knocking me to the ground. The man who had pointed the gun at my head kicked me in the back, hard, then stepped over my body and unlocked what looked like a large cage. I didn't respond to the kick even though it hurt immensely and, instead, I rose to my feet and stood up straight once more. The man behind me grunted something ineligibly and forced me into the cage. I turned and looked at the guards as the door closed behind me. The guards were sneering at me, so I sneered back and spat on the ground. This seemed to unnerve them slightly and they all turned and left the tent, except for one. The man who had kicked me. He looked into my face and laughed then spat a large gob of spittle into my hair, I stood and stared back, unflinching. He sneered and walked off, closing the tent flaps, and therefore the light, after him. Spinning myself round, eyes adjusting to the darkness, I looked around the cage. There were 3 other men in here with me. Not too crowded, I'd seen more in a cell before, which was comforting to know. I sat down on the ground and stretched my sore leg out from underneath me. We kept ourselves to ourselves. Little talking commenced between the prisoners.


	4. Chapter 4

I awoke suddenly to a loud clanging sound near my head. Someone was whacking the bars to wake everyone. I jerked awake, it was the same man that had spat on me yesterday, his face twisted into an evil grin. He shoved some food into the cage on a large tray. I smirked back at him, to which he stuck his arms through the bar and gave my bandaged arm a firm squeeze. I grimaced but didn't make a sound. He released me and laughed coldly as he left the tent.

I looked round at the other men who were staring at me, none of them were familiar, but all were British as far as I could tell. I stayed where I was and looked back at them blankly. Eventually, one of them spoke up.

"So what'd you do then?" He looked into my face. I stared into his eyes.

"What?" I spoke impassively. The man glanced at the others. "I said, What did you do then? This is were they keep people as a kind of punishment." I looked at him, then at the others.

"I just got here. I was captured sometime ago." They looked at me with furrowed brows. The man then shrugged and picked up a tiny morsel of bread from the tray, his share anyway. I took mine along with the others and we ate in silence.

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Not much happened during the time I was there. My injuries healed fine without getting infected which was a miracle as the sanitation in the tent was extremely poor; a bucket in the corner. Sometimes, we'd get taken and beaten for a bit as entertainment for the guards, that wasn't much fun. Over the two months I was in there, two of the original men were changed to another cell and replaced by another man. I took it upon myself to make up an exercise routine, I would wake up every morning and perform my exercises for at least an hour before we were fed. I hoped this would keep me fit for when I tried to escape. Many escape plans were made and scrapped, opportunities were few and too risky to execute. I didn't speak much with the men, only speaking when addressed directly, I kept mostly to myself and thought about why I was there.

One day, the tent was opened and the guard entered, followed by two other men. He opened the cell and walked up to me, looking down on me and sneering. "Today's your lucky day." He gestured for me to stand, which I did so. A gun was then pointed at my face and I was ordered to follow, which again, I did so.

We marched out of the tent, I was immediately blinded by the sun-light; having grown accustomed to the darkness of the tent. While I was dazed a man put his hand between my shoulder blades and gave a firm shove, causing me to stumble forwards. I turned and growled at him, screwing up my eyes against the light. I heard a laugh and someone pulled me by the collar and threw me around to face him. He stared into my face with a huge stupid grin on his face. I could smell the sour smell on his breath of someone who hasn't eaten or drunk anything for a good few hours. He pushed me and then kicked me in the stomach as I tried to steady my fall. This made me cough violently and I doubled over clutching my stomach. The man came over to kick me again but I straightened up and punched him squarely in the jaw, catching him by surprise and knocking him to the ground. The other guards, surprisingly, simply laughed at their fallen comrade who sprawled about in the dirt, shocked and confused. I was hit on the back of the head with a gun. Stars danced round my head and I saw the floor rush up to meet me as I fell towards it. I fell unconscious.


	5. Chapter 5

Someone was prodding me. I opened one eye a slit and looked at him through the corner of my vision. It was that guy, the one I had met in the medical tent. He saw I was awake and grinned at me.

"Thought you'd never wake up," He said. I groaned and felt the large bump formed on the back of my skull, it stung to the touch. I looked around the room and realised I was in a new cell, quite unlike the cage before. This one seemed cleaner and was based in a building, not a tent. I looked at the man, curious as to how I had been so 'lucky' to be placed with him. "I can't be too careful..." I thought, "Better not tell him anything, just in case there is something he doesn't know about me." I got to my feet and moved from my position which was slumped against the wall, over to the bed and lowered myself onto it.

The man stayed where he was and looked at me, grinning as he did so.

"You're so much like him... Big Boss I mean... Not one for conversation, he wasn't..." I didn't respond, instead I lay down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. How did he know who I was? Who was this man? How did he know my father? A million questions sprung to mind, I restrained myself from asking him however, as I would have to answer some of my own I was sure.

"You are probably trying to think who I am, aren't you?" I didn't reply. "Well... Like I said. I'm no-one." He took out a cigarette and lit it with a lighter that he pulled out from under the bed somewhere. I sat up and looked at him, I spoke up, "Where do you get these cigarettes?" He seemed surprised I had spoke and looked up at me with a grin. "That's the first thing you say? Where'd I get my fags?" He chuckled hoarsely which led to a small period of coughing. "Oh man.... Heh heh... I uh... I know some folk." He looked to his right at the wall and looked at it for some time. I followed his gaze but saw nothing so I decided to explore the room with my eyes. The room was rectangular in shape, the door to the cell was at the far side of it, opposite my bed. There were two beds, one I was sitting on and the other at the other side of the room in line with my own. The walls seemed solid enough, cracks crept up from the floor in a web towards the ceiling. The window, small as it was, let through a decent amount of light and afternoon sun caused everything in the room to have huge shadows which stretched across the room menacingly. There was, unbelievably, a small sink, which I assumed would only be switched on sparingly, if at all. After looking round the room I rolled onto my side and looked at the wall, hundreds of questions burning in my mind. I wouldn't give in just yet though... I would hear what the man had to say before blurting out and perhaps giving too much away. The luxury of the cell was what caused the most bafflement for me. Why had such a drastic change in accommodation been made? What did it all mean? Why did Liam abandon me? This last question caused my mood to darken, I hadn't given much thought to Liam before now... his name springing up in my mind only occasionally, after a particularly bad day. I brooded over him for a good fifteen minutes or so before my thoughts were interrupted by a sighing noise coming from the other man. I didn't make any sign I had acknowledged this but he decided to speak to me anyway.

"15 years now I've been doing this. Killing men and getting captured by the enemy. The second time I was caught was when I met him you know..." He paused as if he was waiting for a kind of response from me. He didn't get one.

"I was young then, and foolish.. he took me in for a bit and showed me how to fight, to kill without hesitation... I suppose I should be grateful..." He sighed again and there was another long pause.

"I lost track of him. I searched for a few years, gathering information wherever I could from whoever I could... I met loads of people, and watched loads of others... Eventually, word of mouth said he had two sons, two men who were said to be the result of cloning the perfect soldier... Those men were you and your brother... Solid Snake as I believe his code-name is..." At this, I turned and looked at the man. This piece of information was new to me.

"Solid iSnake/i you say?" He looked at me and nodded, a look of surprise on his face.

"What's up? You didn't know that?" I shook my head slowly and thought to myself. Snake... Strange how I had picked up the same code-name from my comrades... I lay back down on the bed and looked at the ceiling. What did this all mean? Was this all just a coincidence? I doubted it.

The man resumed talking. "Anyway, once I found this information I was called up by the agency I was working for and sent here... to this godforsaken shit-hole of a place...." He glanced around the room, sighed then shrugged. "I've said too much but I don't mind... I should be dead and I'm a dead man if I ever escape back to England..." He got up from the floor and walked over to his own bed and lay down on it so he was in same position as me, facing the ceiling. There was yet another silence as we both thought quietly to ourselves about the future. We stayed quiet for a good length of time, probably an hour or so, before either of us said anything.

It was I that spoke out first.

"When you first lay sight on me... you knew who I was... also, you knew my helicopter had been sabotaged... Care to explain yourself?" I turned to face him. He remained where he was, staring at the ceiling.

He stayed quiet for a few moments then began to laugh.

"You haven't already guessed?" He looked at me and I glared back.

"You did it?!" I moved my feet onto the ground. He stared and smirked.

"You react so quickly without question? Aren't you going to find out why I did it?" His face darkened and his smirk disappeared. "It wasn't my choice, I was under orders from M16."

I raised my eyebrows. M16? What did they want with me?

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	6. Chapter 6

When it was time to eat, all the prisoners moved to the dining area. A scruffy kind of place with splatters of food staining the dirty ground. Marco was understating when he said, "I know some folk..." Truth was, he knew nearly every guy in the building on a first name basis. They all called him Dan for some reason unknown to me and he told me to do so in the presence of others too. I got on reasonably well with the rest of the men. Some of them had seen my crash and others had spread gossip. It was good getting recognized for my skills after all these years being trodden on under foot by my superiors.

I felt at ease for one of the first times in my life. Ironic really, the situation didn't really match up.

The men saw me as something special, a true soldier. I felt happier being around these guys than I did with my own men back in the unit. The ones who had abandoned me. These men were my allies, I had only just met them and we got on perfectly well with each other. My closest friend was Marco. He would talk to me every night about the battles he had seen and all the experiences he had had. His comrades had also left him to die a few times. He swore to me that if he ever saw them again he would take his revenge.

I suppose I felt this way too. I thought about it long into the night most days of the week, trying to think what I would do. No solution came, I would have to wait until the situation came forth.

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It was one day, working in the exercise yard, that we came up with the escape plan.

It was ingenious and amazingly simple. We had worked out the guard shifts after a few weeks of being in the cell. On Wednesdays, a guard with a large "J" on his balaclava would guard the area. He didn't seem very bright and was quite young; younger than me anyway. He had something wrong with his digestive tract, he went to go to the toilet a lot. We concluded that he would be easy to trick into leaving the cell open.

We tried to think of possible ways to get the other men out too but figured that was impossible, they were all in a separate building block from us, the one where they kept the British prisoners. It always confused me why we were kept in our own cell block until I realized that these soldiers were quite cramped for space. In order for us to escape with them we would need to be super-human as the area was heavily guarded according to people I spoke with. So it would just be Marco and I this time.

We made a list of possible reasons for him to open the cell, the first was to start a fight but I spoke up saying that it was too risky he would call in back-up. The next was to fake injury but we didn't think the man was that stupid. Finally, we came up with the idea to feign sickness. It would be easy enough for him to believe we had both caught something because of his own... experiences. We set up the plan. Ready for it to take place next Wednesday.

--------------

We lay there groaning. Marco against the wall at the back of the cell and me near the sink at the foot of the bed. I had my hands over my head and knees curled towards my chest. Marco was clutching his stomach with both hands and grimacing whilst making loud moaning noises.

The guard heard all of our noise and came up to the cell door.

"Quiet in there will-- Hey! Are you guys alright?" For some reason, he spoke Arabic with an American accent. We said nothing apart from groans. At this the man got a bit worried.

"What's wrong? A-are you sick?!" He leaned closer to this cell door. At this comment Marco began to make obscene gagging noises and crying out in mock agony. The guard fumbled with the keys and opened up the cell door running to Marco's side.

This was the chance I had been waiting for. I quickly moved over onto my legs and remained out of his immediate field of vision. He was tending to Marco, slapping him as Marco had just pretended to fall unconscious. Whilst the man was preoccupied I snuck round behind him, grabbed his head and smacked it against the wall, rendering him unconscious. Marco sprung to his feet and we made our escape.

The corridor had a quiet, tense atmosphere.

The door to the right led to the dining area, we couldn't go that way, too many guards. The door at the end led to more cells going deeper into the facility.

Which way?!

I had an idea. I returned to the cell and stole the man's clothes and equipment then rolled him under the bed. Marco watched as I changed, grinning when I had finished. I coughed then impersonated the guard's American accent.

"Wait here, close the door, I'll try and get a uniform for you."

I walked slowly down the corridor, gun slung over my shoulder as the man had worn it. Another guard stood on watch in the next room, he was alone. I hid behind a wall and watched him for a bit, then I started to stroll along towards him. He didn't seem to think anything was out of the ordinary, stopping to yawn and stretch. I walked up to him quickly and put one hand over his mouth and pulled him towards me with the other, shifting quickly into a choke hold I managed to cut off his oxygen supply enough for him to faint. There were keys in his pockets so I stripped him off his uniform, got the correct keys to a cell and lay him down on the bed, locking the door behind me. I then made my way back to my own cell with the uniform for Marco.

He seemed on edge and it took him a few seconds for him to realize that it was me. When he did he looked relieved. I hastily gave him the uniform and walked into the cell to sort out the unconscious guard. I dressed him up in my old clothes and lay him onto the bed whilst Marco was getting changed, after he had finished, we made our way down to the dining area as it was almost time for lunch.

Everything seemed to be normal, the guards were walking around at the usual pace and there wasn't any panic. This was a relief, we hadn't been suspected yet.

I made my way across to the west side of the hall, keeping close to the wall like the other guards and pretending to observe the prisoners. Marco waited and made out he was watching the prisoners at the north side of the hall, whilst taking a detour to the door I was also just about to leave by.

Outside, I stood at the entrance of a near-by tent, waiting for Marco to come out. When he did I waited till he noticed me then made my way over to the perimeter fence. He followed shortly afterwards. I spoke to him with my fake American accent in Arabic without looking at him.

"What, the hell are we going to do now?" He grumbled to me,

"No idea, I left my cigarettes in there..." He sighed.

Silence.

"You think about smoking at a time like this?" I was aghast, I had no idea this man was absolutely insane. Slightly odd yes, but mad? I shook my head in disbelief.

"Anyway. What do we do to get out of here? There are some-- Quick a guard! Walk away from me."

I turned and slowly walked one way and Marco turned and walked the other, as if we were patrolling the perimeter. After I had walked round for a bit, I saw Marco again looking at some large rocks near the fence.

"So," I said, when I was sure it was him. "Did you find anything?"

He shook his head then spoke.

"It's hard to find people who smoke when you aren't speaking to anyone."

I stared blankly to which he gave a laugh.

"Sorry, I was kidding. And no, didn't see a way out without getting spotted." He stopped. "Actually, There was a hut with a space under that a man could crawl under, but I'm not sure if we'll both fit. Besides... they could discover those guards we disabled any minute now which means we should clear off as soon as."

I nodded agreeing. It would be best to get away from this place without any disturbances.

...Actually...

I thought to myself. Yes, maybe that could work... I formed a plan in my head.

Finally I spoke to him.

"Got it. We have to make a distraction and the enemy will be diverted to that area then we can make our escape through that gate over there," Pointing to the gate across the yard I continued. "There were some barrels which we could rig up somehow... have you got the lighter with you?"

He nodded and pulled it out of a pocket round the back of his trousers, then he held it out to me. I shook my head.

"No, keep it. We might not need it." I thought for a moment and was about to speak when he interrupted me.

"I can rig up the barrels to blow up if you can meet me at the other side of the gate."

I closed my mouth. No, I couldn't leave him... but then how would we get out? He was an able man I'm sure... he wouldn't mess up... would he?

"Are, you sure?" I narrowed my eyes as I spoke slowly, trying to make my mind up. He nodded and spoke with definitively.

"I have a pretty good idea of what to do, I've done something like this before. It will be my part in the escape, cause you got the uniforms."

I reluctantly gave in as he seemed determined to work this plan out alone.

"I'll take cover behind that hut over there and you take care of the distraction. Meet me in 15 minutes outside the fence. Got it?"

He gave a thumbs up and walked off.

I waited for a few moments then hid behind the hut near the gate, watching the two guards standing by it but remaining hidden myself by wedging myself behind some metal barrels.

Where was he? How long had it been?

I grew impatient, minutes dragging by like hours. Paranoia kicked in as I thought of all the possible ways things could go wrong. I was on the end of my tether when a loud explosion sounded from the other side of the camp.

Yes! Both guards ran towards it as planned. I remained very still as they ran past my hide-out then I waited to make sure they had gone. After a bit I got out from behind the barrels and stealthily ran towards the gate, making sure nobody was around.

Escape! At last! I dove for cover in some shrubs a fair distance away from the exit. Now all there was to do was wait for Marco.

I waited.

And waited.

Where is he?

Another 10 minutes went past, 5 minutes over our set time.

I looked over my shoulder at the freedom I should be running to and saw that it was getting late. It was probably nearly 5 o'clock. It would be dark soon which was good as it would be harder to be spotted.

It then hit me that I was in enemy uniform and had no change of clothes. If we met our comrades we'd have to hope they didn't shoot us.

Marco? Hurry up.

I stared at the gate, my eyes widened suddenly.

A man! Shit. He's coming over here! There is nowhere to hide...

I took my gun off from over my shoulder and aimed steadily.

Oh wait. Hold on... it's Marco. I checked he was alone then stood up revealing myself to him. He hurried over and we made our way quickly away from the camp heading for the cover of the dunes.

"Where the hell did you go?" I grinned as I spoke, relief filling my voice. "I was getting worried."

He smirked and took something out his pocket.

"I had to get these."

It was a pack of cigarettes.


	7. Chapter 7

We walked northwards for hours, hearing gunshots from that direction meaning that British troops were probably fighting in the area. After what seemed like a day, we caught sight of our allies' base. Tired, thirsty and hungry we headed off towards our salvation, still looking around for soldiers. As we made our way over another dune a voice called out to us from a shrub.

"DON'T MOVE!"

We stopped and raised our hands slowly above our heads. I stood up straight despite being close to fainting.

"Put down your weapons and slide them over to me, slowly." We obliged, not wanting to be gunned down by an ally.

"I'm British," I said as I moved the gun from around my neck. "We've just escaped from the enemy lines a few miles away." The gun was slid over to the talking bush.

The bush stayed quiet. Then spoke out with a voice filled with confusion and surprise.

"You're... not the enemy? I don't believe it. Stay where you are!" The person then rose up from the bush with the gun pointed at us. "I'm taking you back to base, move your arse!" We walked down the dune towards the base perimeter, hands above our heads.

After entering the base we were taken to the Camp HQ to see the Major. He folded his arms and placed his fingers together while he stared at us.

"Show me your faces." He commanded. I peeled my mask off eagerly, shaking my head afterwards to let my hair flow normally again. Marco did the same only he seemed reluctant.

The Major looked at me with widened eyes then glanced at Marco. Marco looked at the floor.

"You?!" He said to me. I looked up confused, I had never seen this man before in my life.

"Yes, sir?" I said.

"...Come closer soldier, let the light shine on your face." He beckoned to me and leaned forwards. I took a step towards his and he peered at me.

"No... You aren't the person I was thinking off. Mistaken Identity I believe."

He sunk back into his seat and looked relieved. He then looked at the soldier who had brought us in.

"That will be all Private, dismissed." The man saluted then turned and left the tent.

"Well, well," Said the Major with a smile, "Back from the enemy lines you say?"

"Yes Sir," We said in unison. Then I said. "I was captured 3 months ago after a helicopter crash."

"Helicopter? So you're with the Air-Force then? Here is where we send the ground troops but you've done well to return to your allies' side. How about you m'boy?" He looked at Marco.

Marco looked up from the floor and spoke. "I was captured about the same time as him, Sir."

The Major looked at both of us.

"Well, I'm sure you are both exhausted, you are both dismissed. Someone out there will find you a sack to sleep in I'm sure."

We left the tent and I went to ask about the nearest washroom.

----------------

Very early next morning I woke up and saw, through the corner of my eye, the figure of Marco getting changed as if he were going out somewhere.

"Marco?" I whispered. He looked at me with sad eyes and turned to leave the tent. "Mark!" I jumped out of bed and changed quickly into my own uniform. I saw Marco exiting a tent with uniform and a gun over his shoulder. I watched him leave then rushed in and got myself a Desert Eagle and a M4 from the weapon's holder. I also took a water bottle and and other equipment such as medical supplies. Rushing out the tent I saw the figure of Marco walking over the sand on the other side of the fence. I followed, having no idea where he was going. Eventually, I caught up with him, my non-smokers lungs giving me advantage over him.

"Where are you going?!" I grabbed his shoulder firmly and dug my heels into the ground. He attempted to shrug me off but I kept a firm grip.

"Stop. Or I'll make you stop." I twisted his arm behind his back forcing him to halt. He turned to me and spoke hurriedly.

"I have to get away James. I'm a dead man. M16 want you dead and me for not killing you in the first place." I released him but he stayed where he was. "I wasn't trying to get to the base in the first place. There is a town a few miles away that we could have started a new life in, away from one another."

I stopped to think about it. Surely he had thought of getting found by M16 in the first place... there must be something else... I knew there was no town near here.

BOOM.

An explosion went off back at the base we had just run from. I jumped and looked at the fire and smoke bellowing into the sky, then I spun round and faced Marco who was lighting a cigarette.

"Did you do that?!" I said. He nodded.

I went quiet.

"Why?" I whispered.

He let out a long puff of smoke into the air above him then replied.

"There are many things... That I haven't told you..." His hand moved down to the gun at his side. "Some things... you would be better off not knowing." He picked up the gun, a M9 and checked it was loaded. "I'm sorry to say this James but... I have to do this." I pulled out my desert eagle desperately but he fired a dart into my arm.

"Goodnight James." Darkness fielded my vision and I fell to the ground suddenly overcome with sleepiness.

------------------

I awoke tied to a chair in nothing except a pair of shorts. A light hung above my head and a gag covered my mouth, salty tang of sweat hung on it. The room was cold and wet and smelt slightly of blood. I looked round but had to stop as a gun was pushed into the back of my head.

"How are you feeling? Sleep well?" A gruff voice spoke to me. "Marco tells me you are a strong man. Lets see shall we?" I felt a scorching pain as a cane was hit across my legs, I winced slightly in surprise, but that was it.

"Who are you working for?"

Crack of the cane.

"We know you are an agent for someone. Who is it?!"

Crack.

I breathed heavily and closed my eyes, legs crying out in pain, but I remained silent. Who are these people? How did they know I was working for someone? I wouldn't tell them I was a sleeper for the SAS. I had gone under training to avoid talking when being tortured. They won't be able to break me easily.

------------

After the torture session I was thrown into a small cell. It was cold and dark.

I lay on the floor, my body scorching all over from the lashings. After a while I gained enough will-power to drag myself onto the pathetic excuse for a bed and fell into an uneasy sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

We walked northwards for hours, hearing gunshots from that direction meaning that British troops were probably fighting in the area. After what seemed like a day, we caught sight of our allies' base. Tired, thirsty and hungry we headed off towards our salvation, still looking around for soldiers. As we made our way over another dune a voice called out to us from a shrub.

"DON'T MOVE!"

We stopped and raised our hands slowly above our heads. I stood up straight despite being close to fainting.

"Put down your weapons and slide them over to me, slowly." We obliged, not wanting to be gunned down by an ally.

"I'm British," I said as I moved the gun from around my neck. "We've just escaped from the enemy lines a few miles away." The gun was slid over to the talking bush.

The bush stayed quiet. Then spoke out with a voice filled with confusion and surprise.

"You're... not the enemy? I don't believe it. Stay where you are!" The person then rose up from the bush with the gun pointed at us. "I'm taking you back to base, move your arse!" We walked down the dune towards the base perimeter, hands above our heads.

After entering the base we were taken to the Camp HQ to see the Major. He folded his arms and placed his fingers together while he stared at us.

"Show me your faces." He commanded. I peeled my mask off eagerly, shaking my head afterwards to let my hair flow normally again. Marco did the same only he seemed reluctant.

The Major looked at me with widened eyes then glanced at Marco. Marco looked at the floor.

"You?!" He said to me. I looked up confused, I had never seen this man before in my life.

"Yes, sir?" I said.

"...Come closer soldier, let the light shine on your face." He beckoned to me and leaned forwards. I took a step towards his and he peered at me.

"No... You aren't the person I was thinking off. Mistaken Identity I believe."

He sunk back into his seat and looked relieved. He then looked at the soldier who had brought us in.

"That will be all Private, dismissed." The man saluted then turned and left the tent.

"Well, well," Said the Major with a smile, "Back from the enemy lines you say?"

"Yes Sir," We said in unison. Then I said. "I was captured 3 months ago after a helicopter crash."

"Helicopter? So you're with the Air-Force then? Here is where we send the ground troops but you've done well to return to your allies' side. How about you m'boy?" He looked at Marco.

Marco looked up from the floor and spoke. "I was captured about the same time as him, Sir."

The Major looked at both of us.

"Well, I'm sure you are both exhausted, you are both dismissed. Someone out there will find you a sack to sleep in I'm sure."

We left the tent and I went to ask about the nearest washroom.

----------------

Very early next morning I woke up and saw, through the corner of my eye, the figure of Marco getting changed as if he were going out somewhere.

"Marco?" I whispered. He looked at me with sad eyes and turned to leave the tent. "Mark!" I jumped out of bed and changed quickly into my own uniform. I saw Marco exiting a tent with uniform and a gun over his shoulder. I watched him leave then rushed in and got myself a Desert Eagle and a M4 from the weapon's holder. I also took a water bottle and and other equipment such as medical supplies. Rushing out the tent I saw the figure of Marco walking over the sand on the other side of the fence. I followed, having no idea where he was going. Eventually, I caught up with him, my non-smokers lungs giving me advantage over him.

"Where are you going?!" I grabbed his shoulder firmly and dug my heels into the ground. He attempted to shrug me off but I kept a firm grip.

"Stop. Or I'll make you stop." I twisted his arm behind his back forcing him to halt. He turned to me and spoke hurriedly.

"I have to get away James. I'm a dead man. M16 want you dead and me for not killing you in the first place." I released him but he stayed where he was. "I wasn't trying to get to the base in the first place. There is a town a few miles away that we could have started a new life in, away from one another."

I stopped to think about it. Surely he had thought of getting found by M16 in the first place... there must be something else... I knew there was no town near here.

BOOM.

An explosion went off back at the base we had just run from. I jumped and looked at the fire and smoke bellowing into the sky, then I spun round and faced Marco who was lighting a cigarette.

"Did you do that?!" I said. He nodded.

I went quiet.

"Why?" I whispered.

He let out a long puff of smoke into the air above him then replied.

"There are many things... That I haven't told you..." His hand moved down to the gun at his side. "Some things... you would be better off not knowing." He picked up the gun, a M9 and checked it was loaded. "I'm sorry to say this James but... I have to do this." I pulled out my desert eagle desperately but he fired a dart into my arm.

"Goodnight James." Darkness fielded my vision and I fell to the ground suddenly overcome with sleepiness.

------------------

I awoke tied to a chair in nothing except a pair of shorts. A light hung above my head and a gag covered my mouth, salty tang of sweat hung on it. The room was cold and wet and smelt slightly of blood. I looked round but had to stop as a gun was pushed into the back of my head.

"How are you feeling? Sleep well?" A gruff voice spoke to me. "Marco tells me you are a strong man. Lets see shall we?" I felt a scorching pain as a cane was hit across my legs, I winced slightly in surprise, but that was it.

"Who are you working for?"

Crack of the cane.

"We know you are an agent for someone. Who is it?!"

Crack.

I breathed heavily and closed my eyes, legs crying out in pain, but I remained silent. Who are these people? How did they know I was working for someone? I wouldn't tell them I was a sleeper for the SAS. I had gone under training to avoid talking when being tortured. They won't be able to break me easily.

------------

After the torture session I was thrown into a small cell. It was cold and dark.

I lay on the floor, my body scorching all over from the lashings. After a while I gained enough will-power to drag myself onto the pathetic excuse for a bed and fell into an uneasy sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

i"James...."/i

A voice drifted into my dreams. My eyes fluttered open and I felt a pain burning over my body causing me to groan.

"James... wake up. It's me. Marco."

I immediately turned to look at him. My eyes filled with rage and hurt.

"Why the hell would I want to see you. After all I've--- after all bwe've/b been through, Why did you suddenly turn on me?" He looked hurt.

"James... I... I didn't turn you in. I was taking you somewhere when they found me. My other agency." I glared at him, not believing a single word he said. "They saw you in the car with me and I panicked, I said this was the plan all along. I lied to save my life and maybe yours."

At this I laughed bitterly, struggled to my feet then snapped at him. "So why should I listen to a traitor? The kind of man you said yourself you would kill upon meeting? Someone who would watch their 'friend,' shall I say, getting tortured?" He looked surprised. "That's right, I knew you were watching. I saw you behind the window as I was being dragged out after pretending to be unconscious, you watched and you, did, Nothing. If I hadn't taken action into my own hands by faking my own unconsciousness, they would have continued and you would have just stood there! I have half a bloody mind to kill you." I finished my rant and crossed my arms, standing up straight despite the pain I was in. Marco looked hurt and I felt he was unsure what to say. I turned and stuck my nose in the air, flicking back a bit of hair from my face as I did so.

"James, I know it seems a little like I betrayed you but I am pos---" I interrupted Marco sternly. "A little? Hah! I'm absolutely positive that you betrayed me Marco. I'm not sure you can change my mind about that." He sighed.

"Alright... I see you don't want to talk to me now. I'll come back when you've had time to think." I didn't reply. Standing facing the wall with my back to him.

He sighed again and left.

I sat back down on the bed and thought about everything that had happened to me spitefully.

Suddenly I found my thoughts drifting over to my father. A rarely visited part of my life. This was his fault. Everything that had happened to me was his fault. He had chosen me to have all the recessive genes which means... That man. Solid Snake. My brother... He must...

He must have all of the dominant genes! I don't believe it... He took my life away from me before I was even born! Damn that man.

Well... At least that means I'm nothing like him. Nothing like my father. That's one plus point.

I need my revenge, if I get out of here I will search and kill Big Boss. I will kill him then my name will soar as the man who killed the best. I will adopt the Code-name 'Liquid Snake' that has a nice sound to it... yes. Liquid and Solid Snake. Two opposites linked by cursed genes.

I plotted bitter thoughts and ways I could take my revenge on everyone for entertainment for most of my waking hours. It kept me amused and stopped me descending completely into madness.

----------------

Marco returned to my cell after a week. I had gone through another two sessions of torture by this time so my mood was not the greatest.

"James, I can get you out." His voice was excited. "I found a way." I turned and looked at him, my eyes held no emotion. I felt numb.

He continued none-the-less. "Trust me on this. I'll get you out, just be ready to run."

He left.

Run? Any tips as to where? How was he going to do this... I admit, my cell was never guarded and I was the only person here in the dark. Apart from the rats. A shiver ran down my spine. I didn't trust him at all, but this seemed like my only option unless I wanted to be tortured for another few weeks.

-----------------

I was sitting on my bed with my head in my hands a week or two later when I heard shouts and gun-shots. I stood up alarmed, footsteps came along the corridor. I saw Marco's face as he threw open the cell door.

"GO JAMES! GO!" He pointed to the stairs and one of his friends signaled for me to follow. I jolted up the stairs, two at a time behind the man and followed him through corridor after corridor, gun-shots blazing everywhere around us until we finally got to a car-park. In the middle sat a huge heavy-duty military truck. The man I had been following clambered in and I followed behind him, lungs gasping for air after the run. He let me rest as he called to his fellow rogues through a walkie-talkie.

"Where's Mark? He's coming up? What?! Shit. Get him up here as soon as possible." I lay down on the seat and drew in large gasps of air, head pounding and cane lashes stinging. Eventually, the rest of the guys came through the door, firing at some enemy guards as they ran backwards towards the truck. The engine revved and the men jumped in, sliding the door shut as the vehicle started to drive off at incredible speed.

I couldn't stop my muscles from shaking and my body was sweating in a chilling kind of way from shock. I coughed and a sudden realization that I was parched overcame me. Some person forced me to drink some water which I spluttered back at him and my body shook even more violently and uncontrollably. This was post-traumatic shock I had never experienced before I yelled out at the pain in my head before I was sedated and restrained. Before blacking out, my head rolled over to see Marco, holding his side and bleeding quite heavily.

I moved my lips and mouthed the word, "Thanks" at him before I passed out.


	10. Chapter 10

Waking up, I found myself in a kind of hospital bed. It was a well lit room which I could see the roofs of Middle-Eastern houses. I sat up in the bed and the lashes across my back stung as my bare back brushed against the bed-sheets below.

After a while, I got to my feet and walked over to the window, trying to see where I was situated. It didn't look particularly familiar, no distinguishing landmarks in sight. It could be anywhere. I turned and walked slowly over to the door, opening it, then making my way down the stairs. Halfway down I met someone who must have been on their way up to see me. He looked at me with wide eyes then ran back down the stairs shouting for someone.

After a bit, three other people came up and ushered me back into the room, closing the door behind me but not locking it.

I stared at the door slightly irritated that I was meant to be bed bound. I wondered where Marco was, the only man I actually knew here. There was a full length mirror in the corner, I decided to check the extent of my injuries. It wasn't a pretty sight. Thick red lines scattered across my back and some seeped slightly as the torturer had applied force enough to break the skin.

No matter however. These would heal in time, I had always been a fast healer anyway...

The door was opened slightly and a small man peeked his head round.

"Sorry about that... We can't let you wander around this facility freely."

I lifted a hand and nodded.

"I understand, do you mind telling me where I am?" I spoke formally yet sharply, as I was slightly pissed off.

"I can't I'm afraid. You must stay here." He turned to leave but I ran towards him. I wasn't going to give up this easily.

"I have to see Marco. Take me to him now."

I grabbed the man's shoulder tightly, he seemed intimidated.

"I-I don't think I can. You must stay here."

I squeezed harder and twisted the man round to face me.

"I am not taking no for an answer. I will not sit here oblivious to everything that is happening anymore. I want answers and I want them now. Take me to see Marco."

By now I had lifted the man slightly and pushed him against the wall, his feet barely touching the ground.

"Okay! Okay! Just put me down! Please!"

He struggled a bit so I settled him on the ground once more.

"Thank you. I would also like some proper boots. These shoes are terrible..."

He nodded frantically and waved for me to follow as he ran down the stairs. I strolled slowly after him, taking care as I went down the narrow staircase.

The stairs led to a huge room filled with many people talking to each other in small groups, the room was filled with smoke and a hum of people talking. As I entered the room however and people began to notice, this noise stopped altogether and all eyes turned to look, either at me, or the man who had led me downstairs.

The small man looked around at everyone in the room and was about to speak before I interrupted.

"I will see Marco."

If the room had been quiet before, it was now deadly silent. There was no noise. Nobody moved.

I started to walk to the end of the room to the door on the other side. Nobody tried to stop me, the small man ran to my side and kept his head down. I felt all gazes in the room fixated on me as I went past, some looking at the scars all over my back but most looking at my face. I ignored their eyes. I was determined to speak with Marco no matter what.

-------------

He was a sorry sight.

His side was bandaged up but blood stained it thickly. He saw me as I entered and propped himself up on the pillows smiling at me but looking worried.

I reached the bed and stood next to it with my arms crossed.

"What the hell is going on here Marco?"

He looked at my face and gulped.

All the calm-and-collected persona he had had before seemed to be gone now. I struck fear into his eyes and that pleased me. He twitched and spoke to me.

"I'm not sure where to begin..."

I sneered and replied harshly,

"Yes, that's what happens when you lie so much. You forget what is truth and what is false."

He shook is head and talked again.

"No, not everything I told you was a lie. Most of it was true, the thing is I work for-- I mean.... I worked for two agencies. M16 you knew, and the other was a small rogue group I was forced to join along with many others in this building. We didn't like how they worked things out there, so we destroyed them."

I took all this in, face staring at him blankly. I didn't know what to believe.

"When we escaped, I was supposed to meet up with one of my friends. But he was held prisoner in that camp we were in. The explosion you saw was to get him out and let him escape. I heard nobody was killed and only a few injuries."

My face continued to hold the same, blank expression. I asked him.

"You didn't think you could tell me this before you tranquilized me?"

He put both his palms on his face and shook his head.

"That, I regret.... If I hadn't tranquilized you then nothing else would have happened. You have a right to be angry."

My upper lip twitched. Angry? Hah. Of course I was... wasn't I? I felt myself believing him... I wanted to hurt him and yet... I trusted him. I spoke to him again.

"When can I leave this place?"

He took his head out from his palms and looked at me.

"Leave? I'm not in charge here... We are all going to get reissued again soon enough by the British army."

I froze. What?

Back to fight again?

I paused and looked at Marco with my head tilted to one side. He shrugged and said.

"Be glad they aren't ordering your execution."

He was right. After a few weeks, we were all ordered to return to the battlefield and fight for Britain once again.

At least I got some new boots.


	11. Chapter 11

Gunshots whizzed over our heads as we threw ourselves into the bushes.

3 months had passed since we had been sent back out to fight and things were as hectic as before. This war showed no signs of stopping just yet.

I looked over my shoulder and was relieved to find none of my men had been injured. I heard a voice from my shoulder.

"Shit." It was Marco. "Nearly all out."

He pointed at the packet of cigarettes in his hand. I shook my head and grinned.

Some things never change. I scanned my eyes over the field in front of us, nobody in clear view.

We had been badly deployed as the sun was to our front, this meant we would be easy targets. We stayed where we were, sand dune hiding us from any immediate gun fire.

A man moaned beside me, I looked at him.

"You hurt?" He shook his head, it was covered by a mask and he was wearing shades. He didn't speak to me which I found strange. My gaze went back to the battlefield, there wasn't anyone in sight... unless that was...

Yes. Thought so.

I tapped Marco's shoulder and pointed then did the same to the other 3 men with me. They searched the field with their owns eyes and we managed to seek out another 2 enemy soldiers. I gave the orders and the soldiers were killed one by one.

Any more? I took out a hand mirror and threw it a good distance away from us. It landed and the sun glinted off it's shiny surface.

Fff-Ting!

A bullet shot at it.

I followed the general pathway from where the bullet had come from and saw the man, crouching under a shrub in sandy camouflage.

I aimed my gun and fired.

---------------

We were nearly at the destination; a suspected bomb storage area. It was nightfall and we had been fighting most of the day. Adrenaline stopped the sleepiness from getting to us and kept us on our toes. We crept over another dune and the Storage Area came into view. There wasn't anyone in view so we made our way over towards it.

Bang-whizz-ARRGH!

A rifle was shot and it hit Marco in the stomach, I ran and tackled him behind a dune shouting "GET DOWN!" to the rest of the men, they didn't really need telling and hid themselves also.

"Marco!" I rolled him onto his back and examined his injuries.

They were bad.

"Marco! Stay with me. Medic! Toss me over your supplies!"

A first-aid kit was thrown from behind a dune, it landed near the area Marco had been shot at.

"Bollocks." I said and looked over at the invisible sniper.

Where was he? I didn't see anything in the night. Whoever it was, he must be good.

I looked round for anything to reach over and get the medical supplies but saw nothing.

This left me with two choices.

1. Let Marco die and wait here until we found out where the sniper was.

2. Risk my life and try to get those supplies.

I was at a loss.

Once again I looked at the supply kit. It wasn't too far away. I could get it if I ran but it would depend on how fast that sniper was. I looked down at Marco. He coughed and tried to say something, but I hushed him.

"Save your energy."

He closed his eyes and grimaced, blood pouring out his side. I had to stop that wound bleeding. I removed my shirt then tore off part of my vest, then I removed the clothes around Marco's wound and tied the piece of cloth tightly around his side. It was immediately soaked in blood. That would stop some of the blood, but very little.

I really needed those bandages. I moved over and crouched on my feet.

Could I really do this? Would it save him? A bullet shot to the stomach was fatal without proper medical attention. I breathed in deeply then let it out in a long slow breath, calming myself.

I raised my behind and moved my legs, ready to sprint.

3......

2................

1..........................

GO!

I dashed out. A bullet shot and went over my head, I ducked as I ran and grabbed the kit, turning quickly and making the small distance back, two shots shooting where I had been before.

Hmm.... maybe this sniper wasn't as good as I had thought... Lucky shot.

I made a mental note to get a good sniper on my team if I ever had the need to get one.

I tore open the medical kit and pulled out a bandage. Marco was groaning and clutching his side, legs twisting because of the pain.

"Stay with me!" I took away the cloth that had been tied there and quickly examined the wound once more using a medical torch found in the kit. It was worse than I thought, the bullet had punctured an organ and the wound was messy. I winced and pulled out some antiseptic and disinfectant. Someone would have to remove the bullet later, I would only do more harm than good trying to get it out myself.

I doused the wound with antiseptic, ignoring Marco and his wincing. Then I poured disinfectant over it and placed a absorbent piece of material onto the flesh. Tying this all tightly with a bandage, I finished.

"Marco. We need to get you back to base." I said, "I can take you, there is a small base nearby, they'll have a van which---"

Marco coughed up blood and spoke to me.

"It's a lost cause. Go on without me."

I froze with my mouth open, staring at him with wide eyes.

"You need to see if these guys have nuclear warheads in there. I'm going to die James. That bastard punctured something."

He closed his eyes and a tear ran down his face.

"I've always liked you James. I admire your skill. I admire you as a person. You have--"

"NO!" I shouted and looked at him. "You can't die! You're my friend!"

He chuckled, then coughed up more blood.

"Glad to see you're calling me a friend after all I've done to you."

I stopped and thought about all the good times we'd shared during our hardship. The support we had offered each other. Covered each others backs during battles.

I chocked back tears.

Marco. The first man I had called my friend and all I had shown him was a silent acceptance of who he was. Never had I started a conversation, I had only listened to his stories.

He only knew the things about me that he had heard from others. I had never told him about myself, what I liked, what I disliked and now....

Now it was too late.

He lay there staring at me and grinning. Then he chuckled hoarsely and took out his pack of cigarettes.

"I'm all out." He waved the empty packet then threw it away.

I looked at the discarded pack then looked back at him.

"End me Liquid."

I froze. That was the first time he had used my code-name.

"Shoot me. It will make me happy to die by the Son of Big Boss."

I looked down at my desert eagle.

Could I do it?

My hand pulled the gun out it's holster, it was warm and fully loaded.

I turned back and looked at Marco once more.

"Please, I want you to do this Liquid." His lips moved slowly, slurring his words.

I hesitated then pointed the gun at his head.

"Thank you." He smiled and closed his eyes. "You're a good man Liquid."

Good man? I was going to kill my best friend. If this was seen as good then I wanted to be bad.

But I couldn't.

I had to do this. My finger moved onto the trigger.

Bang.

-----------------

Someone walked over to me. The sniper must have given up. He lay a hand on my shoulder and looked down at Marco's body.

"You did the right thing John."

I stopped. Only a few people called me John. And that accent sounded pretty fami---

LIAM!

I spun round. The man with the mask.

He pulled it off his face and looked at me blankly.

"We meet again."

I didn't say a word. My gun was still in my hand and I stood up and pointed it at his face.

It would all be so very easy. After the pain of killing Marco, this would be a relief. This would make everything better.

I fingered the trigger.


	12. Chapter 12

Liam didn't move a muscle.

It had been almost a year since I last saw him. He looked different, his eyes held no fear and he looked a lot more battle weary. The gun was inches away from his eyes but he didn't blink.

"Go on then, I know I deserve it."

I growled but my finger couldn't pull the trigger. Marco's body lay next to me, his face looked peaceful apart from the hole I'd just created in his forehead. A sudden realization crawled over me and I felt sick to the stomach. I put the gun down.

Liam seemed surprised.

"You aren't going to shoot?" His voice was shocked but sounded relieved.

"No," I said bitterly, "Not yet. I've done enough damage today."

He put his hand on my shoulder.

"Listen mate, It wasn't your fault, he wanted you to kill him. If your going to blame anyone, blame that sniper."

I nodded. Hearing what he said but not really taking it in. Liam spoke to me again.

"We have to get moving sir. Night won't last forever."

I didn't move.

"Sir?" He waited.

"Go without me, I need to be alone for a while. I want to give him one last bit of respect by saving him from the vultures. You're in charge Liam. Good Luck."

He saluted at me then turned and went back to the rest of the men. He talked to one of them for a few moments then returned clutching something. He handed it to me and nodded then left. It was a portable hand-trowel used for digging out trenches and shelters in the sand from sand-storms.

I watched him leave. It surprised me. All the hate I had welled up inside me for him all these months had vanished. This might be the last chance I ever get to see him. I didn't know what I felt like at the moment.

I sat down and gazed into the distance.

----------------

The grave took hours to dig, but I was glad of the coldness of the night as the labour was tough. It was finally finished just as the sun was coming up, I removed Marco's equipment then rolled him into the hole. Just as I was about to cover it up, I remembered something. They weren't here, I looked round desperately then I saw what I was looking for. I went over and picked it up, looked at it, then set it on top of Marco's body. It was his packet of cigarettes.

I looked down at the body and smiled dreamily, then started to bury him under mounds of sand. It took a long time, but I stuck at it and finally finished in less than an hour.

I sat down in the sand and stared at my work. The grave could be seen as the sand was a different color from the rest, but the wind would sort that out. I curled up under a shrub and pulled a hood over my head to protect me from the sun.

Just a few moments rest then I'll get moving.

------------------

i"He's asleep, not dead."

"I can see that, what should we do?"

"Should we kill him?"

"No, no... we should take him hostage, the commander will appreciate having more hostages as it raises the ransom."

"He can't be that important can he?"

"You never know, you know what happened to the last guy that underestimated the importance of a potential hostage."

"Ooh yeah... nasty. Okay, lets get him back to base."/i

I heard this conversation whilst semi-conscious, as the man approached I twitched and awoke. He grinned and pointed a gun at my face.

"English aren't you?" He said in english. "You sleep again now."

He fired a shot into my arm, I looked down and saw a tranquilizer dart sticking out.

Last time this had happened..... Marco.... was still.....

I fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

I stayed in that camp for over a year.

It was hell.

Nearly every week we'd get tortured into speaking about the plans of the army. After a number of months I felt I couldn't take it anymore. I was driven nearly to insanity once by the thoughts of Marco haunting me night after night, stopping me from sleeping and causing me to throw up occasionally out of a mix of self-pity and physical/emotional stress from the torture. I also welled up even more rage for who I was. I hated being the clone of a man, it dehumanized me. The fact that I was the inferior one really got to me as well. I have all the flawed, recessive genes. Was I not good enough? My brother was. I wondered who he was and if I could ever meet him. I would kill him if I did. I would kill him then kill my father. If I ever got out of here I'd make a plan so great that people would cower down and respect me for what I really was. Soldiers aren't respected like they once were, I and the other men here were living proof of that. The British Army had heard about this camp and had not, to my knowledge, done anything about it. It seemed unlikely I would ever get out...

One day though, we were rescued. The American Army sent in troops who destroyed the camp and freed everyone inside. I was a free man.

I got dismissed from the Army permanently and was rewarded slightly for my efforts.

I went to start a new life in America.

---------------

"Outer Haven..." I looked at the government files I had managed to get from a friend.

It gave info on the events that had happened in Zanzibar a couple of months back. I leant back in my chair stroking my chin.

Maybe I could get this plan to work... Genome soldiers... Metal Gear? .....yes.

I hovered my hand over the phone but hesitated from picking it up. Who should I call?

I need an elite team. One which could--- Hmm...

I looked at the file again.

Solid Snake. Big Boss. Frank Jaeger. FOXHOUND.

That last word stuck out at me particularly. Foxhound. It would be ironic for the inferior son to adopt his father's unit's codename. I smiled to myself. I knew a few contacts from father's acquaintances, I should start by calling them.

I picked up the phone and began dialing the number I had on the desk in front of me.

---------------

i"What did you say your name was?"/i

The man talked at me from down the phone, his voice was gruff and drawled slightly. I replied to him.

"Liquid Snake, I have information that you worked with my father at one point, Big Boss."

He paused then talked back to me.

i"That I did. And Liquid Snake you say? You do know Snake is the codename of your brother..."/i

"Yes, I heard that from someone... And by the way, what is it I must call you? All I have written here is a contact, no name or anything."

i"I'm most commonly known as Revolver Ocelot."/i

I froze. Ocelot...? That name... wasn't that who had?

Yes, it was the person who had shot at Marco. I remembered. Marco. I coughed then talked back at him, dismissing my memories almost immediately.

"Ah, yes Ocelot. I've heard you are a formidable gun-fighter. So... what do you say about joining the new Foxhound?"

--------------

Ocelot held the phone to his ear.

"The iLes Enfants Terribles/i project... tell me.... What do you know about it?"

He leaned back in his chair as Liquid told him what he knew. Ocelot made a mental note of everything he heard. As Liquid finished, a smile moved across the old man's face.

"That's right, Solid Snake is the dominant one. He got the fighter's genes it seems. Wiped out your father I heard."

He held the phone away from his ear slightly as Liquid ranted on the other side.

'Oh if only he knew...' Ocelot thought to himself. He knew everything Liquid had been up to. He had followed both Liquid and Solid Snake's movements along their life with help from EVA and a few others...

Liquid finished what he had to say and Ocelot gave him a brief life story. Not necessarily all true... but a life story none the less... They finished up the conversation and agreed to meet in person some time in the future with potential recruits. After he had hung up, he leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs and putting them up on the desk.

He had to tell someone the good news. He picked up the phone and dialed a number. The phone rang and a female voice was eventually heard on the other side.

i"Hello?"/i

Ocelot grinned.

"It's me, I have some good news."

The voice perked up, seeming interested.

i"Oh? Go on, what is it then?"/i

"I was on the phone to Jonathan just there. He has adopted the Code-Name, Liquid Snake. He seems to believe that ihe/i is the inferior one and not his brother, David. But get this."

Ocelot leaned over the desk and talked down the phone quietly and excited.

"He thinks that iLes Enfants Terribles/i only produced 2 offspring. He doesn't know about the other 6 brothers he actually has."

Ocelot paused to hear the response. The woman stayed quiet then spoke enthusiastically.

i"That is good news, Adam."/i

Ocelot interrupted.

"But there's more, Liquid did some of our job for us, he has already killed one of his brothers."

i"Which one was that?"/i

Ocelot spoke in his gruff voice down the phone.

"He killed Marco. That was the one that got away from me all those years ago. James fought alongside him, without knowing it was his own blood, then killed him after Marco had been shot by a sniper."

Ocelot talked with the woman for some time about Liquid and the rest of Les Enfants Terribles, then he changed the subject.

"I've been asked to join Liquid's team."

He sneered.

"He's calling it the new FOXHOUND. Ironic isn't it?"

The female voice chuckled.

i"Any idea of your other team members?"/i

"No. I believe this idea has only just come to him."

i"Ah, I see... Any idea how he managed to contact you?"/i

"I was thinking about that. I don't know for certain, but it doesn't surprise me... He is John's son after all."

i"Hmm... You should be more careful about who you trust."/i

Ocelot smirked to himself. Trust? He trusted no-one. He was already plotting things about the person on the other side of the phone-line.

"I'll keep that in mind Dr Clark, you should do the same too. Shall we tell EVA the good news?"

The voice on the other side seemed surprised.

i"You haven't already told her? Yes, I think we have to... Will you be the one calling her?"/i

"Yes. I'll do that now, I hope you are keeping well?"

i"Yes, I am. We have started research on resurrecting a dead body."/i

Ocelot perked up, interested, but he didn't show it in his voice. He started to play around with a revolver with his free hand.

"Any particular person in mind?"

i"Yes. Frank Jaeger. The experiments are... not going so well at the moment but I'm sure--"/i

Ocelot interrupted by tutting and then speaking.

"Gray Fox? Why are you wasting time with that man?"

Dr Clark seemed a little put out and irritated.

i"He was a good soldier Adam. I know you two never really got on at the best of times but he was one of the best warriors, hand chosen by John himself."/i

Ocelot scowled and quickly changed the subject.

"I better be calling EVA now. I'll keep in touch Doctor."

i"Goodbye Adam. Keep well."/i

Ocelot hung up.

He leaned back in his chair again and thought about Liquid once more.

If he were lucky, his job of wiping out Les Enfants Terribles would be done for him as they all killed one another.

He chuckled.

This would be interesting.

Better tell EVA the good news.


End file.
